Here Lies Iris West
by WolfKomoki
Summary: Barry travels to February 3rd, 2024 and gets more than he bargained for. The future was not what he expected. Still, there was one more place he needed to go before he returns to the timeline: Iris's grave.


**The Flash is owned by The CW. 3x19 broke me, so bad, and so this scene was born.  
**

February 3rd, 2024, eight years after Iris West dies. Barry didn't want to come here, but he was running out of time, and so, he runs to the future with Wally's help. He had gotten Team Flash back together, but there was still one thing that he had to do, before he runs back. He had to visit Iris's grave. Iris's grave, a sentence he never wants to say, or _think_ , again, and that's when he races off towards the cemetery.

Barry's future self was _broken_ without Iris, that much was certain. Slowly, he walks over towards Iris's grave, his heart breaking as he reads the words: " _Here lies Iris West. A wife, a daughter, a friend."._

Barry runs his fingers on the letters etched onto the headstone. _Don't cry, don't cry, don't, fuck!_ Barry tells himself. Still, he couldn't stop the tears pouring from his eyes as he stares at her grave. This was what he was trying to prevent, and seeing this, was just more evidence of that. _I knew something was wrong back at the graveyard. You hadn't visited Iris's grave in years._ Barry had hoped that that meant that he'd moved on, but he knows better than that.

Iris West was the love of Future Barry's life, and is the love of his. _I don't want you to leave. I miss my friend._ Cisco's words hurt Barry. He wanted to stay for Cisco, he did, but he can't. He won't live in a world without Iris West. _Want my advice? Go home. Spend as much time with Iris as you can. Because pretty soon, you'll never see her again._ Future Barry tells him. Barry hopes that he lets Joe be there for him, as he won't be around for his future self. Barry isn't completely sure of what happened to his other selves when he time traveled, but if their timelines still exist, then he hopes that Joe is there for _this_ Barry in this timeline.

 _You're from the past, I can tell. There's no hate in your eyes._ Killer Frost's words confused him. How could he _ever_ hate her? Barry didn't have a hateful bone in his body.

 _And Flash, if you're watching this, then it's good to see you again._ Barry was confused. He had given up being the Flash? _I guess Iris's death must have really broke him._ Barry thinks. Where was Team Arrow in this timeline? Had they even _tried_ to comfort Future Barry, or did he push them away too? _"What happened to him?" Barry asks, referring to Wally._

 _"Iris died, and it sent him into this rage, and, uh, he went after Savitar alone one night. Joe found him, the next day, with a shattered spine. We don't know what he saw that night, but he's been like this ever since." Cisco tells him._ Yet another reason to stop Iris's death.

 _"I wasn't there for you?" Barry had asked._ Seeing Joe being so hateful toward him _broke_ him, but he couldn't allow himself to cry in front of Joe. Would Joe have comforted him if he had? The answer remains unclear. Either way, he has to get back, and so he runs to Cisco.

"You're going back, aren't you?" Cisco asks.

"I'm sorry man, you know I have to try to save her." Barry apologizes.

"Promise me, that no matter what happens, you won't push us away." Cisco pleads.

"I won't." Barry promises, and that's when Cisco pulls him into a hug.

"Bye Barry." He greets, letting him go as Barry visits Iris's grave, one last time.

"I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm gonna save you. I _won't_ _let_ this future happen." Barry speaks to her grave, tears pouring from his eyes, again. _Caitlin aligned herself with Savitar._ Hearing those words broke Barry. Why would she _ever_ join him? What could he possibly offer her that _they_ haven't already?

 _We found the way to defeat Savitar, four years after she died. By then it was too late. I couldn't save her, and neither can you._ Future Barry had told him. _That's where you're wrong._

 _Unlike you, I'm going to save her._ Barry thinks. _It's been a while. Especially you, Flash._ Julian greets. These words hurt, knowing that he had pushed everyone away.

 _My daughter's life was taken. My son's. And then you left me, Barry. The last piece of who I was…left. Turned his back and ran away._ Joe had told him.

 _No hands, no vibes._ Cisco had told him. Caitlin had taken Cisco's powers, which were a part of him.

Barry wasn't going to let that happen. This future, _cannot happen,_ Barry won't allow it. _Barry, no matter what happens, I need you to be there for Joe._ Future Barry had broken that promise, but Barry _wasn't_ going to break that promise, no way. Barry didn't know what Wally saw that night, but he was going to save _him,_ too.

At this point, Barry starts laughing hysterically.

"Bar." Joe greets, his heart breaking at the state that Barry was in.

"How much of a failure am _I_ , right? When I couldn't even keep the _one promise_ that I had made. I didn't figure out how to stop Savitar until _four years_ after Iris's death. I even gave up being the Flash, like who does that? _Me_ , that's who!" He laughs with tears in his eyes.

"You're not a failure, Barry!" Joe shouts, getting closer to Barry.

"I mean Cisco lost his hands! His _hands_! And now they're made of _metal_!" Barry laughs. Joe just stands there, dumbfounded. Barry was crying, and laughing, at the same time.

"Caitlin is locked up in Iron Heights. _Iron Heights_ , and Julian _works_ there! Like, who decides to work for a _prison_ , of all places?" Barry laughs.

"Wally is in a catatonic state. A _catatonic state_ Joe!" Barry laughs.

"I still don't know who Savitar is. I failed at that too! I ran into the future, and _still_ didn't get the answers that I need." Barry laughs, and that's when Joe pulls Barry in for a hug.

"Stop, _please_ stop. I'm here, I'm _here_ Barry." Joe pleads, holding him as tight as he could.


End file.
